Recipe Background
Easy Mozzarella Sticks with a crispy bite, perfect for snowy days.
Back in my college days, during an epic snow day that shut down classes, my dorm became a hub of culinary experimentation. The blizzard left us stranded with only a few things in our kitchen: a stash of string cheese, some leftover panko, and an almost-empty jar of Italian seasoning. As the snow piled up outside, a group of us sat in the common room huddled around the TV, craving something warm and comforting. I remembered a tip from Chef Murray, my culinary elective instructor, who always said to freeze your cheese before frying for the best crunch.
With that in mind, we set to work. I whipped up an egg-milk bath while Sam dug out the garlic salt. We tossed the frozen cheese sticks in flour, dipped them in the egg mixture, and rolled them in the seasoned panko, making sure they were well-coated for that extra crispy bite. Heating up canola oil in the sole skillet we owned, the kitchen filled with chatter and the delightful scent of garlic. One by one, we lowered those coated cheese nuggets into the hot oil, listening for that sizzle indicating they were ready. The results were better than our snow day expectations, and we devoured them while watching movies.
Even now, when the weather turns and the snowflakes start to fall, I pull out this recipe. It takes me back to that cozy dorm, the laughter of friends, and those perfect crunchy bites. Pro tip: always drain them properly for a minute, so they stay crisp. Grab some marinara for dipping, and it's like a warm hug in each bite.
Ingredients
- 8 string cheeses frozen
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- canola oil to taste
- marinara sauce optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
- Cut each the frozen string cheeses in half.
- Place the flour in a bowl.
- Lightly coat each of the string cheese pieces with the flour.
- In another bowl, mix together the egg and the milk.
- Mix together the panko, the Italian seasoning, the pepper, and the garlic salt in a shallow pan.
- Pour the canola oil into a deep skillet so that it comes 1-inch up the sides.
- Begin heating the oil over medium heat.
- Take the flour-dipped string cheese pieces and, one at a time, dip them into the egg-milk mixture and coat them in the seasoned panko.
- After the oil is heated, gently place one of the coated string cheese pieces into the oil. If the piece floats within 5-10 seconds the oil is hot enough.
- Cook each side until fully browned, about 30-60 seconds on each side.
- Let the mozzarella sticks drain and cool for at least 1 minute on a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Serve with the marinara sauce.
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